10 steps to understanding your interviewer

When preparing for an interview it can be very interesting and useful to think about it from the interviewer’s point of view. They will be looking for particular qualities and behaviours in the job candidates and there will be a reason why they’re looking for those things. Understanding the interviewer helps you to make deductions as to who they want, allowing you to show them you are that person.

By Nisa Chitakasem

Research their history

To find out where someone is coming from, you have to know where they’ve been. An interviewer’s own work experience and areas of expertise will give you clues about what they’re interested in and what they know about.

This will help prepare you for the kinds of question they’re going to ask and the type of answers they’ll relate to. Go to their LinkedIn profile to check out their work history and search their name online to see what they’re known for and what they’ve done recently.

See if you have any mutual connections on LinkedIn and ask these individuals how they know the person.
Focus on motivations

You can tell a lot about someone by what motivates them. The way an employee approaches the task of interviewing candidates will depend upon why they’re with the employer. If they’re working for this particular organisation because they want to set a certain example to their children, they’ll be looking for a different kind of future colleague than if they’re doing the job because of the high salary.

Look at their bio on the company website, their tweets and their Facebook photos to get an insight into what drives them and who they live for.
Understand the company

Interviewers can’t of course just hire who they want. There are certain criteria and parameters set by the organisation that act as boundaries, within which interviewers can then make their decision. If you can understand the company and what it’s looking for, you stand a better chance of getting inside its employee’s head.

The types of hires a business wants will depend heavily on what’s happening with that business at the moment. So look at the company website, at their marketing campaigns and in the press to see which business areas they’re expanding into, what challenges and dilemmas they’re facing and who they want as customers and clients.
Talk to them

In most cases, it’s perfectly acceptable to make contact with your interviewer before the interview even happens. They will know that this is not sucking up but represents thoughtful preparation and a genuine interest in the organisation you want to work for and the people who already work there.

The interviewer’s contact details may be in the invitation letter so you can get in touch with them to ask any questions. Alternatively send them a message on LinkedIn explaining who you are and inviting them to connect with you on the basis that you’d like to be able to reach them easily in the build-up to the interview.
Be their shadow

If you’re feeling particularly audacious and you’ve made contact with the interviewer and hit it off with them immediately or you knew them anyway, ask if you can work shadow them for a few hours, prior to the interview.

Shadowing them in their place of work as they do their job will give you an excellent opportunity to see what they do, which of their colleagues they get on with and what parts of the business are important to them.

Getting up close and personal to understand how someone works will give you a rich understanding of how they expect others to work for the company.
Interview similar people

Once you have an idea of what your interviewer is about and what type of person they are, talk to people you know who have similar work histories, interests and motivations.

Ask such people what kind of person they like to work with and who they would advise the company you want to work for to hire. Although no two people are the same, individuals with a lot in common still sometimes think in similar ways.

This is why criminal profilers interview known serial killers with particular backgrounds and modi operandi in order to catch future killers with similar histories and MOs.
Ask questions

Gaining an insight into the interviewer doesn’t stop once the interview begins. In fact, now is the perfect time to find out even more about this person, as this might be the first time you’ve actually sat down face-to-face with them.

An interview isn’t all one way. The definition of an interview is simply a conversation with a purpose and that purpose goes both ways. The interviewer is finding out about you but you should also be finding out about both them and the company by asking pertinent questions throughout the exchange.

Their answers will inform and influence your answers later on in the conversation.
Be direct

Even if you’ve asked questions throughout the meeting, interviewers will typically ask at the end of the interaction if you have any further questions.

Now is the time to ask if there’s anything else they want to know about you. However much you think you understand what they were looking for in your answers, you may not have covered everything they’re curious about.

By giving them a second chance to ask targeted questions, you’re giving yourself a second chance to prove to them that you’re the one their organisation needs.
Turn the tables

One big and very direct question to ask an interviewer is why they’re with the company. They’ve probably asked you why you want to work with the company so now it’s time to turn the question back on them.

Their answer will tell you a lot about their priorities and ambitions. Even if you ask this right at the end of the interview you can still use the information later on.

For example, if, after the meeting, you think of something you believe this person would like to know about you, simply drop them a thank you email and include the extra information in it.
Play agony aunt

Through the research you’ve done and perhaps the time you’ve spent with the person interviewing you and talking to them online, you should have an idea as to what they believe the organisation’s biggest challenge to be currently.

Once you know this, you can come up with ideas for solving this problem, which will impress them in the interview. If the appointment is coming up and you still don’t know what this person thinks needs addressing, look at their social media updates and blog entries to see what they talk about and ask advice on.

Nisa Chitakasem is Founder of Position Ignition, the UK's leading Career Consulting Company.
Next Up: 10 steps to job interview success
With jobs in virtually all sectors at a premium, it's imperative that if you reach interview stage you are prepared as best you can.

See also:

10 steps to job interview success

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Comments

Patsy1964 replied 51 weeks 2 days ago

In my experience all too many interviewers are not going to be the ultimate manager or department head which you will work for. Usually these people work from a cue-sheet with fixed questions and what the expected reply should be. In an ideal world it is best to have both Department head, or immediate supervisor together with the Human Resources interviewer. I find the imported title "Human Resources" interesting, since a resource is something that once used, is thrown away. Increasinglly this is a problem with companies to day with the "hire and fire" mentality inherited from our American Cousins. My first reccommendation is research the company firstL 1. Take a search at Companies House (www,comapnieshouse.gov.uk. This will give you the basic return, how long they have been in business and how promptly they file their returns. For an extra £10 you can but the company accounts and see what their financial status is: afterall you do not want to be going in to an insolvent company. That informations will give YOU a basis to decide whether you actually want to work for the firm. Businesses do not seem to realise that you need to be wary of them as they are of you. I have refused second interviews having read the account and noticed that the company is insolvent. If you feel uncomfortable with thier financial record, walk away, unless you can negotiate a "Temp- to-perm" contract where you are paid by an Agency. At least that way, you know what you are letting yourself in for and can in the meantime look at alternative employment if you are starting to feel unhappy. Check the back-ground to the company, and do not be afraid to ask how the vacancy became available. It may be something as simple as the previous holder has become pregnant and no intention of returning (careful since many girls do change their mind), and what was a permanent post, can suddenly become temporary. Remember that most permanent posts start these days as fixed term contracts, not a six month trial- subtle difference. 2. When arriving at the first interview make sure that you know the interviewer(s) name(s) and the departments they represent. Also try to be at least 5-10 minuets early so that you can compose your self and be able to have a look around at the company surroundings. In modern interviews, you may find yourself interviewed by a Manager and two supervisors, only two of which may be from the same department. In the case of HR Managers, they invaribly have no clue what the job REALLY entails as they are working from a job spec. which has been drafted by the line manager, and the former may not know what the latter means. This is particularly true when you are deaing with technical areas such as law, accountancy, or matters peculiar to that industry. Offer a firm handshake to the person meeting you, and for those who are carrying a briefcase or handgrip type despatch bag, makesure that you carry that bag in the left hand. Carrying anything in your right (salutation) hand will make it sweaty, and can be interpreted as nerves or insecurity. Again, this comes down to psycological games. 3. If you are fortunate enough to be able to see what is going on from the reception area, and also from the interview room, make a mental note of the expressions on peoples faces, and whether the switchboard or telehpones are busy. With DDI it is not so easy to judge from the switchboard, as fewer companies have one. If the staff as a whole look happy, the chances are it is a reasonable company. If you can, check the staff turn-over, which can be seen again through the head-count at companies house and also the average age of the employee. 4. Always look at the interviewer(s) when they ask the question, and do not rush in to an answer, and convey that answer to the initial interagator. Also make sure that you are seated far enough away from the interview table so that you can see all three interviewers at the same time. Do not be frightened to move the chair away from the desk so that you can see all three interviewers at the same time. This is a favourite trick with those who like to play games as they often play the "ping-pong" trick where you are looking side to side and make you feel disorientated. Look at them when you give the reply In reality it is meaningless, but as more companies are too busy playing psycological games, to them it means a lot. 5. Try not to talk with your hands, but give concise answers. The latter is not always easy when a complex question is aimed at you. Do not be afraid to ask the interviewer to repeat or qualify (make more specific) the question they have asked. NB a lot of companies like playing psycological games, and personally, I am very wary of those who ask you to do psycometric tests. These tests emerged from the USA back on the late 1990s, but have subsequently been found to be unreliable. The point here is that if the interviewer cannot assess you without a test like that, then it raises questions about their's and that of the company's integrity. 6. Always keep eye contact with the person asking the question and address your reply to the whole committee/board. I have a tendancy to look away whilst I am thinking, which can be mis-interpreted as lying by those who believe in the body language theories. Again, I am very wary of those who play psychological games. I have not issues with genuine practical tests, e.g. whether you can add up, spell, correct a sentance and know when you should use jargon. In scenario type questions, always think from whose angle that question was posed; e.g. The Manager or Sales Director, the Accountant, or Human Resources. Be able to give actual situations where a similar problem has been resolved in previous jobs, but becareful not to disclose too much about that company. 7. Finally when the interview is closing and you are asked for any questions about the post, make sure that they are relevant to the conversation held and your genuine enquiries about the contract. Remember the Salary bracket quoted in the original advertisement; alternatively where one is not quoted, as a reliable agency what they would expect. The likes of Reed and Page Personnel are good starters for National Jobs, but where you are applying for local posts, ask a couple of local, prviate agencies where you should plumb for. Do not exceed the top end, as they will problably not be able to afford to keep you. Again lool at their accounts as filed with Companies House to see their stabitlity. When the interview is complete, thank the interviewers' for their time and offer a firm departing handshake, and becareful not to slam a door - albiet accidently. Say good bye to the receptionist on your departure- again just politics but makes you appear more friendly. Hope this helps. Patsy